Cypress
by self-sacrifice
Summary: Possible spoilers for 65. Sometimes, death is right in front of you, blind to the naked eye. This happened to be someone's case at the time. But maybe you can be happy while dying.


**Note: Spoilers for Chapter 65. Last moments and a flashback. Probably not true, Leo being a Baskerville and all. Also, first PH fanfiction, go easy on the mistakes if you spot any.**

Oz's hand had merely been a moment's time away from the other male, outstretched, warm, and ever so welcoming to his path of sunshine. The other, who was actually above the kneeling Oz and reaching out to him, since he had been shrouded in darkness, this time instead of sulking back, he would grasp onto the palm, not letting go in fear of losing the light again.

Then something, sharp and quick, stabbed him.

Of course, no one expects their death hidden inside a soul, especially if the soul was hidden away for so long. Leo's cheek was hurting from the punch that Oz had delivered just before lending his hand out, leaving it to turn into an uncomfortable red, but that punch brought back painful, rather bittersweet memories of_ Elliot, Elliot and him alone _but was willing to once again think straight. Yet, here he was, laying in a puddle of red blood, which was his own. The chain had taken it's blow- was it poisonous?- and marked it's place in his chest, barely missing his fragile heart by maybe even a centimeter or two... But that was enough to kill someone who had bottled in so much and suffered a life of misery, one where the light would dangle happily in front of him, knowing he could never have it completely, but tainted by his mere touch if Leo managed to get a hold of it. It was cruel, rude, but he managed until the end.

Almost to the end, at least.

Inhaling and exhaling his final, painful breathes of unease around him, which a startling scream was drowned out by Leo's own emotions of agony, something about Jack, Leo's usual mysterious, glinting eyes begun to glaze in motionless forever. They lost their luminous shine of the abyss, turning dull and cold, just as his soul was at the time. But he could move slightly, only his hand, the neglected one from not being able to touch Oz's, gripped onto a wet, sticky stone, most likely from the pouring liquid out of him, and it soon became too familiar to his bloodied palm, but he couldn't focus anymore on reaching or shuffling anything. His death was moments away, his mind registered, instead of panicking he felt new tears on his eyes, which even surprised him, yet opened a flood of worrying thoughts, only few he remembered. Would he be able to see _him_ again? Could Oz take another death? What about Vincent, his wish never to be granted?

_"Leo!" "What is it, Elliot?" "You still haven't picked up the books!"_

He was thinking about this after the punch. Was it rewinding his thoughts, the power of death? _So it's true you see your whole life flashing in your eyes before you die. _

_"If I don't...?" "You'll have to clean the whole mansion, then. I'll give the maids something else to do." "Ah Elliot, I'll do it in a minute."_

Before Humpty Dumpty. Before his mother lost her mind. Before Gilbert left the family. Happiness was in the Nightray family, and a frown hardly creased Elliot's face. How he missed those days, knowing he was the reason it all happened.

_"Leo!"_

Elliot's voice. But he wasn't here. It was in the memory, wasn't it? All in distant past.

_"...Why are you crying? Aren't you supposed to be my servant?"_

... He wasn't crying then. In fact, he was grinning like a fool to his master, when he wasn't on death's door.

_Does that mean-_

_"Leo, stop. If you're going to cry, do it in the afterlife, would you? I'd be more comfortable, due to this place reeks of your blood."_

Leo had turned around swiftly- but that was impossible. He was a lifeless shell on the ground, crying at the time, and agony filled him for every moment. It would have been impossible if he was alive right then, rather. Because he was actually dead, a spirit, looking at the familiar being in front of him.

"Come on, pick up your feet and start running. Vanessa hardly let me out, saying another angel could guide you. I had to basically beg, and it would be a waste if you just sat there and rotted."

That was all Leo heard before crying again, more stronger tears than the previous ones, but followed Elliot, but wasn't too sure if his tears were ones of joy of seeing his beloved master again, or the ones that had dripped from his death.

All he knew was that he was dead, but going with Elliot this time.

Just maybe things would be nice for a lovely change.


End file.
